Duncan, Jonathan, Hazen, great to hear from you always, and many thanks.

The Documerica photographers treated America and its vast array of strengths and problems with a dignity, professionalism and care that honours everything and everyone: the peak of Kodachrome art, the dawning of environmental consciousness, and a moral conscience directly influenced by the grand legacy of the FSA (no accident because in the brief moment of its flourishing the Documerica project was strongly influenced by Arthur Rothstein having been brought on, and of course his presence was a link back to the very best of the Depression period government project work). Like the FSA archive and Lewis Hine's Child Labor Board portfolio, these are great works of, by and for the people. Strange as that may seem today, given the curious way in which the government now appears far more interested in shielding itself from the people than in offering the people gifts of this order -- something relevant, progressive, useful and artful, encouraging serious social concern yet also inspiring hope.

That was perhaps less difficult to do then than it might be now, but still, on the urban scene, there have been few rose gardens at any stage. An honest look is all that can be wished for.

Tom -- fantastic series of the lives of the disposessed during the years of my own little protected infancy in the bricks of the Bronx and our own years living just west of that incredible tenement on Avenue D - what a great photo -- but the Wall Painting on Forsyth and Division says it all, still! Thanks for all the sweat it took to put together this great series for us

Harris, yes, that terrific tall vertical shot of the Avenue D project brought back such a tangled ball of memories involving our mutual ancient street rambling histories that if my broken lacrimal duct hadn't been flowing already, the sweet pain of retrospect would have brought a fresh tear welling up to ancient clouded eye. But when the old and new tears mingle together, mixed in with the sweat, the blood, and the longing for ultimate memory loss, who can tell old from new, and what is there to say or do?

And yes again, the wall painting with the $ reminded me also of your historic cyberzinoid Works and Days, in fact that may have been the reason that shot landed here amongst us in this fashion.

Werner, my respected colleague, deferring to your superior expertise in these classic automotive matters, and guessing that you are aware Danny Lyon gives evidence of being a super classic car nut, I'm going to turn this around and ask you to pony up here with your own inventory of the vintage automotive wonders on view in this post, and I will gratefully stand advised.

Not to request such favours without providing something at least equivalent in return (potlatch polity) -- take a look at that Danny Lyon 1972 El Paso post I've linked to above and tell me whether you'd not agree that photos #5 through #7 do a great job of turbocharging the memory neurons -- once perhaps hyper acute though now maybe not so much, what with the several inconvenient strokes and all.

E.g., girl leaning in languid fashion over front seat of a yellow mid-Fifties model Tri Five Chevy (#5), same vehicle in next shot and just below that, the great, great interior dashboard view (Big Tarantula, crucifix, American flag, Bud decal, Raza Is Love).

Mr (or shall I say Sir, or Chief -- yes, I do like Chief) Be the BQE, Je m'excuse! I fear I have for some odd reason a preference for communicating, if names are to be used at all, with people whose actual names are known to me; and it was thus out of a curious anachronistic longing for contact with the human, perhaps, that I have just now suggested to you that your name is Werner, when it is not. Do forgive.

TC - I'm pleased with Werner but will also happily answer to David. I'm no expert on cars despite the BQE connection. I think I recognize the rear of a Karmann Ghia, in the Bond St. photo, and front end of some kind of Ford station wagon. Similar to the one the Young Latin Male seems to be striding away from in Patterson. The jacked up car in front of the Avenue D housing project looks like a Chevelle SS. So much to look at in these pictures!